Article by
Barbados Today

Published on
September 9, 2017

Opposition Senator Wilfred Abrahams has called on Prime Minister Freundel Stuart to solve a long-standing problem at the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) or appoint of a new Minister of the Environment.
Abrahams says Dr Denis Lowe has failed the Ministry of the Environment and the SSA too often and for too long.
“The time has long since run out for the Minister of the Environment to come clean on the arrangements between the SSA and the private waste haulers with respect to garbage collection in Barbados,” Abrahams said in a statement.
“This arrangement has been shrouded in secrecy from its inception as it relates to actual contractual terms and the duration of the arrangement.”
Back in October last year, the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) threw its support behind a decision by the troubled SSA to outsource some of its garbage collection to private waste haulers.
Abrahams told Barbados TODAY then that he was not opposed to the SSA sub-contracting its garbage collection.
“If a calmer and more sensible head has prevailed and the Government is prepared to sub-contract to get what needs to be done, then I can have no fault with that,” the Opposition Senator said, insisting it was more important to have a clean Barbados than playing politics with waste collection.
“I am glad that somebody is finally doing something that benefits Barbados than pursuing purely selfish ends. For months, I have been saying that if the Sanitation Service Authority is not in a position to acquire the trucks, then sub-contract that work so Barbados is kept clean. The health of the citizens and those who live in Barbados [is] far more important than scoring cheap political points,” he said.
But in his statement today, Abrahams said householders should be told of the status of the plan which now seems to be on its deathbed.
He said the SSA has recently been unable to field a full complement of trucks despite assurances from the Minister on countless occasions that new trucks were being ordered.
“The arrangement with the private waste haulers was intended to be a stop gap measure until the new trucks arrived. Despite the constant assurances from the Minister the SSA has not received one new truck in years,” Abrahams said.
“The highly publicised garbage crisis was alleviated through the services of the private haulers but the economics of the arrangement would suggest that it is more cost efficient for the SSA to purchase its own trucks than to indefinitely rent from the private sector which has to be paid. Now not surprisingly this cash-strapped government has once again fallen behind in its obligations. Participating companies are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars such that one has quit the plan with others expected to follow suit.
“The situation stinks as fewer available trucks will mean more rotting garbage on the streets of Barbados,” Abrahams added.
The Shadow Minister of the Environment said the hollow promises of Dr Lowe and his demonstrated inability and incompetence in the stewardship of his ministry should no longer be ignored by the Prime Minister.
“The SSA is too important a department and the environment and its impact on the health of Barbadians too critical for the Russian roulette being played by the Minister,” he said.

A year or more ago Lowe announced that the new fleet of garbage trucks were in the port. So Mr. Minister, did your ministry not have the money to clear them from the port? Or was this just another one of your lies? And is the government paying the wages of sanitation workers who have no trucks with which to work? just another example of money wasted by this government. And you have the nerve to declare a new 10% levy and a 2% fee on foreign exchange transactions? And Mr. Minister, were you ever able to get the 5 million dollars you had hidden away in a certain person’s bank account? Just asking.

A year or more ago Lowe announced that the new fleet of garbage trucks were in the port. So Mr. Minister, did your ministry not have the money to clear them from the port? Or was this just another one of your lies? And is the government paying the wages of sanitation workers who have no trucks with which to work? just another example of money wasted by this government. And you have the nerve to declare a new 10% levy and a 2% fee on foreign exchange transactions? And Mr. Minister, were you ever able to get the 5 million dollars you had hidden away in a certain person’s bank account? Just asking.

Bajans allowed this present government to be there for nine years and no attempt or challenges were made by the black masses to get rid of the same…………. All bajans are saying the government will be gone after the new elections , thats a dream ………..
Bajans keep stepping over one of the major issues , which is plaguing barbados, the failure of all politicians we need in barbados legislation , to automatically remove from office politicians who does nothing for the benefit of the people……..

We are laying claims for decades that the only way ,to get rid of useless politicians is waiting with pain for 5 year terms, a general election, thats why things will never get better, we need an act of parliament namely so the (Accountability Act 2017 ) having this in place will change the landscape in barbados for ever, just think the present government getting back in power coming the new elections , …… we are finish ………………

Bajans allowed this present government to be there for nine years and no attempt or challenges were made by the black masses to get rid of the same…………. All bajans are saying the government will be gone after the new elections , thats a dream ………..
Bajans keep stepping over one of the major issues , which is plaguing barbados, the failure of all politicians we need in barbados legislation , to automatically remove from office politicians who does nothing for the benefit of the people……..
We are laying claims for decades that the only way ,to get rid of useless politicians is waiting with pain for 5 year terms, a general election, thats why things will never get better, we need an act of parliament namely so the (Accountability Act 2017 ) having this in place will change the landscape in barbados for ever, just think the present government getting back in power coming the new elections , …… we are finish ………………

Firing Dr. Lowe- a political impossibility right now- would not alter the fact that this administration is brokes; out of money; out of ideas; out of excuses; lacks any semblance of real leadership; devoid of credibility ; and lacks the capacity to borrow except dipping into N.I.S. and Central Bank some more, and this in BB$ which CANNOT buy us any trucks of anything to be paid for in F/X.

Hmmm….have these guys been of any real use to us citizens and tax-payers? Well, they might try to sneak in to their manifesto that they have have protected us from anyone named Irma, or Jose…

Firing Dr. Lowe- a political impossibility right now- would not alter the fact that this administration is brokes; out of money; out of ideas; out of excuses; lacks any semblance of real leadership; devoid of credibility ; and lacks the capacity to borrow except dipping into N.I.S. and Central Bank some more, and this in BB$ which CANNOT buy us any trucks of anything to be paid for in F/X.
Hmmm….have these guys been of any real use to us citizens and tax-payers? Well, they might try to sneak in to their manifesto that they have have protected us from anyone named Irma, or Jose…

Abrahams you think Stuart got the balls to fire ANYBODY from the Cabinet ?
Lowe challenging Mia to produce her qualifications I wonder if next year if Mia will follow the trail of that 5 million and the bread found in a brief case at the Airport that someone was taking out of the Island ?

Abrahams you think Stuart got the balls to fire ANYBODY from the Cabinet ?
Lowe challenging Mia to produce her qualifications I wonder if next year if Mia will follow the trail of that 5 million and the bread found in a brief case at the Airport that someone was taking out of the Island ?

@JrSmith, Please tell US ALL what can be done in a “Democratic Society” to remove any present Government from office without going through the legal voting progress.
I know only 2 ways By the ,,,,,,,”Ballot or the Bullet”.

@JrSmith, Please tell US ALL what can be done in a “Democratic Society” to remove any present Government from office without going through the legal voting progress.
I know only 2 ways By the ,,,,,,,”Ballot or the Bullet”.

I honestly don’t blame any minister but the Minister of finance and economic affairs. It has become hard for any Ministry to carry out it’s mandate when they is a lack of resources.
I know collective and individual ministerial responsibility but you cant blame Lowe when his ministry collects little or no fees and relies heavily on subventions.
I must ask, “where are the new garbage truck that were to be here already?”.

I honestly don’t blame any minister but the Minister of finance and economic affairs. It has become hard for any Ministry to carry out it’s mandate when they is a lack of resources.
I know collective and individual ministerial responsibility but you cant blame Lowe when his ministry collects little or no fees and relies heavily on subventions.
I must ask, “where are the new garbage truck that were to be here already?”.

This incompetent lot don`t understand that its the taxpayers money and they have a right to know how it is being spent. I read that they were trucks in the port, what have became of them? Stuart said not long ago that he is very please with the job performances of his ministers so there is no reason to fire anyone of them, can he fire himself? that would be the way to start.

This incompetent lot don`t understand that its the taxpayers money and they have a right to know how it is being spent. I read that they were trucks in the port, what have became of them? Stuart said not long ago that he is very please with the job performances of his ministers so there is no reason to fire anyone of them, can he fire himself? that would be the way to start.

jr smith . honestly i dont know where you live ,i know its not bout here. all you talk bout is black this and black that . massa mentality and all that crap . all you have to do is join the black masses where ever you are and help them out . you seem to have a lot of black ides.

jr smith . honestly i dont know where you live ,i know its not bout here. all you talk bout is black this and black that . massa mentality and all that crap . all you have to do is join the black masses where ever you are and help them out . you seem to have a lot of black ides.

The PM has his way of dealing with things whether we like it or not, as we all do. I’m sure we do what we think is best for those we serve when we have to.

This election will be a special kind of ‘mother of all battles’ both on a national front and within both leading parties. Some of you who support them will be shocked at the components of this impending battle when the bell rings. Prior to that occasion though, will be the mini battles to occur.

Since Lowe has a major role in one of such battles, he is seen as a valuable member of that battalion. The other members of the battalion are on both sides of the battle lines. So I do smell offensiveness on the one side and indeed mutiny on the other.

In case you all didn’t notice, one colonel calling a former similarly ranked officer a traitor of the masses. These are the signs that the method of attack is being planned. Therefore the only persons who are politically asleep are you the supporters of both leading parties. The race will be long and tactical, so don’t be surprised if a rank outsider gets up on the rails to win this race.

The PM has his way of dealing with things whether we like it or not, as we all do. I’m sure we do what we think is best for those we serve when we have to.
This election will be a special kind of ‘mother of all battles’ both on a national front and within both leading parties. Some of you who support them will be shocked at the components of this impending battle when the bell rings. Prior to that occasion though, will be the mini battles to occur.
Since Lowe has a major role in one of such battles, he is seen as a valuable member of that battalion. The other members of the battalion are on both sides of the battle lines. So I do smell offensiveness on the one side and indeed mutiny on the other.
In case you all didn’t notice, one colonel calling a former similarly ranked officer a traitor of the masses. These are the signs that the method of attack is being planned. Therefore the only persons who are politically asleep are you the supporters of both leading parties. The race will be long and tactical, so don’t be surprised if a rank outsider gets up on the rails to win this race.

Low Lowe is not interested in buying any trucks. Lowe Low lost his Cahill pet. The Prime Minister cannot fired Lowe Low either because while Low is stink he is stinker. Lowe Low will stay until the electorate put him out to be collected like the garbage he is

Low Lowe is not interested in buying any trucks. Lowe Low lost his Cahill pet. The Prime Minister cannot fired Lowe Low either because while Low is stink he is stinker. Lowe Low will stay until the electorate put him out to be collected like the garbage he is

Calling on the PM to fire a minister, to FIRE a minister (6) six months before election is stupidity of the highest degree. It demonstrates that if elected YOU would continue the NONSENSE that is destroying this country. MAN UP and advance the interest of Barbados and leave the PETTY nonsense

Calling on the PM to fire a minister, to FIRE a minister (6) six months before election is stupidity of the highest degree. It demonstrates that if elected YOU would continue the NONSENSE that is destroying this country. MAN UP and advance the interest of Barbados and leave the PETTY nonsense